Chen Ping’an left the Head of the Office’s room with a blank expression. He had known from the very beginning how this would end. Yet, he still went to see Constable Zheng.

Now, he was completely sure.

Constable Zheng was definitely involved in this. Without him providing cover, stealing the credit would never have been this easy.

And... his greatest weakness, the biggest reason he couldn’t prove his innocence, was that on the surface, he was just an ordinary person who knew nothing of the Martial Dao!

The Martial Arts Technique could be explained away, but without the requisite training process and medicinal supplements, he couldn’t reveal his Martial Arts Cultivation. And if he couldn’t reveal his cultivation, he couldn’t prove he was the one who killed Hairy Fish.

He was undoubtedly trapped in a vicious cycle!

"Ping’an, congratulations! You really pulled off something big without making a sound, kid. Come on, tell me what really happened last night."

When Chen Ping’an reached the entrance of the Garrison Commandant’s Office, Monkey Head and Da Shan were already waiting for him. The moment they met, Monkey Head lightly punched him on the chest.

"HISSS!"

Chen Ping’an winced and gasped.

"Ping’an, you’ve got to be kidding me! I barely touched you."

Monkey Head was startled.

"No! There’s a wound right here." Chen Ping’an lifted his shirt, revealing a chest covered in bruises.

"What happened?" Monkey Head asked with concern. Those injuries didn’t look light.

"It’s from the Hairy Fish incident! Let’s talk as we walk!"

"Yeah, okay."

After leaving the Garrison Commandant’s Office, Chen Ping’an told Monkey Head and Da Shan what had happened the previous night.

However, he didn’t tell Monkey Head about killing Hairy Fish himself. He simply went along with Constable Zheng’s announcement, briefly explaining how he’d discovered the clue, only to get shafted in the end.

Monkey Head was extremely loyal. Chen Ping’an was afraid that if he told the truth, the impulsive Monkey Head would immediately go and stick up for him. Then, not only would he fail to resolve the matter, but he’d end up implicating Monkey Head as well.

While on patrol, Monkey Head and Da Shan were quite cheerful. Chen Ping’an had reported the clue, which earned him five taels of reward silver and a minor merit. They were genuinely happy for him. They ended up teasingly demanding that Chen Ping’an treat them to a meal.

"Alright, once the reward silver comes through, I’ll definitely treat you," Chen Ping’an readily agreed.

He cherished these two companions.

The entire day was filled with cheerful moments. It even caused the fire of anger in Chen Ping’an’s heart to subside a little.

However...

’This matter isn’t over!’

...

When he returned home, Chen Erya was in the middle of boiling dumplings. She was making quite a lot—a whole large pot.

"Brother~ You’re back~ We’re having dumplings tonight!"

Chen Erya’s eyes curved into crescents, revealing a pair of small canine teeth.

"Great, dumplings are great!"

A smile spread across Chen Ping’an’s face. All the exhaustion from the day seemed to melt away in that instant.

Watching Chen Erya busy in the kitchen, Chen Ping’an suddenly had a change of heart.

’Perhaps my thoughts during the day were too radical! The risk is too great! If I’m exposed, I can’t bear the consequences!’

’Yes, at least the current me can’t bear them!’

’If it were just me, it wouldn’t matter. But I still have... my sister.’

During the day, Chen Ping’an’s plan had been simple.

’Just kill them!’

’Zheng Shiyong and Tan Huacong dared to steal my credit, so they can just die! Tonight, I’ll let them know what it means to mess with the wrong person!’

’Hmph!’

’My daytime plan was too impulsive!’

Putting Zheng Shiyong aside for a moment, Tan Huacong was an official constable of the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office. If he died, it wouldn’t be treated as a mere disappearance; special investigators would definitely be assigned to the case.

The investigators wouldn’t be just any Tom, Dick, or Harry. They would be professional law enforcement agents.

An investigation like that would inevitably lead to him. The risk would be immense!

Looking at Chen Erya, Chen Ping’an hesitated.

’Maybe...’

’Sometimes, you have to endure being wronged! When you feel yourself about to lose control, ready to give up and act recklessly, you should think about the people who care about you.’

’When your strength is insufficient, you must first endure. Learn to make friends with time!’

’One day, you’ll finally be able to hold your head high and shove every last damn bit of this humiliation right back in their faces!’

"Brother, dinner’s ready~"

Chen Erya came out with a wide grin, carrying a large plate of dumplings.

"Nannan is the best!" A smile appeared on Chen Ping’an’s face, and he hurried over to help.

...

Chen Ping’an had a huge appetite, and most of the dumplings Chen Erya had cooked that evening ended up in his stomach.

After dinner, Chen Ping’an warmed up and began his nightly Iron Cloth Shirt training.

But he had just taken off his shirt when Chen Erya noticed the bruises on his chest.

"Brother, what happened to your chest?"

That morning, Chen Erya had been busy with breakfast and hadn’t noticed the injuries on Chen Ping’an’s chest. Now she saw them clearly, and her heart ached for him.

"It’s nothing. I got hurt by accident while sparring at noon." Not wanting his sister to worry, Chen Ping’an made up a lie to placate her.

Bare-chested, he walked over to the pile of rocks and began to roll around in it.

As he rolled, the day’s events flashed through his mind.

’Yes!’

’I have the Golden Finger Panel; time is on my side. Unlike most people who have no hope, my future is full of it. I’m destined to shine brightly! I absolutely cannot be so stupid as to bet my life on revenge while I’m still weak.’

’Revenge must be taken! But my life is more important!’

’Right now, I’m only at the Qi Blood Second Layer, the Muscle Training Stage! What if I were at the Qi Blood Third Layer, Yijin! Or the Qi Blood Fourth Layer, Bone Forging! What if... I were even higher!’

’Then these things wouldn’t be issues. They’d be trivial! A mere spot as an official constable... It’s not even worth mentioning!’

Chen Ping’an continued to practice his Iron Cloth Shirt.

’As they say, patience brings peace, taking a step back...’

’The more I think about it, the angrier I get!’

Chen Ping’an slammed his fist heavily onto a rock.

’FUCK...’

’A gentleman’s revenge can wait ten years!’

’I am no gentleman. I will have my revenge in two months, tops!’

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Chen Ping’an rolled continuously in the pile of rocks, striking them repeatedly as he moved.

As time went on, experience symbols flashed one after another in his vision.

Name: Chen Ping’an

Realm: Qi Blood Second Layer

Martial Arts: Great Success in Iron Cloth Shirt (20/100)

...

Chen Ping’an climbed out of the pile of rocks. He wasn’t sure if it was because he had made a vow in his heart or because he had vented his frustrations, but he actually felt somewhat relieved.

’Martial Dao Cultivation is called cultivation because it’s not just about practicing martial arts, but also about cultivating the mind! Having power without the right Heart Nature is ultimately meaningless! This is just a small bump on the road of cultivation. Looking back in the future, none of this will matter!’

’The path of Martial Dao Cultivation is filled with countless twists, turns, and obstacles. If every little obstacle affects my state of mind, then that just shows my own limitations!’

’A martial artist must have both courage and strategy, an attitude that remains unfazed by favor or disgrace, as well as a heart that is decisive in action and eager to advance. I will remember what happened today. But in two months at most, there must be a resolution! Only then can I act with both tension and release, following my heart’s desires!’

"..."

With his thoughts clear and his mind unobstructed, Chen Ping’an felt as if his mental state had ascended to a higher level.

That night, Chen Ping’an slept exceptionally well.